sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to National Mushroom Day!
National Mushroom Day celebrates edible mushrooms, which can be eaten plain, be stuffed, or be used in salads, soups, and sauces. Culinary mushrooms first began being cultivated in the early eighteenth century, in France. They were known as Parisian mushrooms by those outside of the country, and the English exported them to America by the end of the nineteenth century. It was mainly these white and brown Agaricus bisporus mushrooms that were cultivated and sold, none more so than cremini mushrooms. Beginning in the 1940s, many other types of mushrooms began being cultivated on a wider basis.
The following are some common varieties of mushrooms eaten today, some being cultivated and some being found in the wild:
- White button: most common edible mushroom, with 90% of mushrooms eaten in the United States being them; goes well with most ingredients; mild, but flavor intensifies when cooked.
- Cremini: also known as crimini, baby bella, and brown; similar to white button but a bit more robust of a flavor.
- Portobello: also known as portobella; really just a large cremini; can be up to six inches in diameter; meaty flavor—good veggie alternative for burgers; began gaining popularity in the 1990s.
- Shiitake: also known as black forest; frilly umbrella caps; meaty texture when cooked; woodsy flavor.
- Oyster: velvety texture; fluted caps; mild flavor.
- Enoki: also known as enokitake or enoke; originally from Japan; long stems; tiny caps; grows in clusters; high in potassium and fiber; used raw as a garnish with soups, salads, and Asian-inspired dishes.
- Morel: yellow and black varieties; wild mushroom; honeycomb crevices; nutty and earthy; commonly used in sauces.
- Truffle: most expensive mushroom; wild mushroom, but there has been some cultivation; robust flavor; sometimes infused in olive oils.
- Beech: crunchy texture; nutty flavor; usually cooked and used in stir-fries.
- Maitake
- Porcini: highly sought-after wild mushroom; meaty texture.
- Chanterelle: frilly; flavorful, with hints of apricot and almond.
McCord moving up: Syracuse QB enters new program record list after N.C. State win (PS; $; Leiker)
With every game he plays, quarterback Kyle McCord ensures more and more his single-season performance for Syracuse football will go down as one of the best in program history.
McCord completed 31 of 42 passes (73.8%) for 346 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions Saturday in Syracuse’s 24-17 road win at N.C. State.
He broke in to Syracuse’s Top 10 for season passer rating, debuting at No. 8 with a 147.9 that ties him with Garrett Shrader (2022) and Todd Philcox (1988).
The college football passer rating is calculated the same as in the NFL but uses a wider scale.
McCord also moved up two spots from No. 4 to No. 2 for season completion percentage after setting his season-high by 3.6% against N.C. State.
He currently trails just Greg Paulus, who had a 67.7% completion percentage in 2008. McCord’s sits at 65.6% six games into the season and could shift in either direction through the remainder of the year.
Finally, with two touchdown passes to Umari Hatcher and Jackson Meeks against N.C. State, McCord rose from No. 10 to a four-way tie at No. 7 for season touchdown passes with 19 total.
His climb knocked Garrett Shrader’s 17-touchdown 2022 season out of the Top 10.
McCord remains at No. 1 for season yards per game. He bumped his lead by 2.4 yards with his sixth straight performance of over 300 yards.
McCord should enter the Top 10 in three more categories when Syracuse plays Pittsburgh on Oct. 24. The Orange is on bye this week.
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ACC Bowl Watch: Where is Syracuse projected to spend the postseason after win at N.C. State? (PS; $; Carlson)
The Syracuse football team was expected to beat North Carolina State last week so the Orange’s postseason projections didn’t change significantly this week.
All of the prominent national writers still expect the Orange to make a bowl game. The most interesting matchup was projected by The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, who matched SU up with Deion Sanders and Colorado in the Sun Bowl. The El Paso, Texas bowl game was the most common projection this week.
ESPN’s Football Power Index projects Syracuse to finish at 7-5. I’m more bullish than that, which is why I have the Orange facing a Power-Four opponent in a bowl game.
Here’s how the ACC’s bowl bids could be distributed.
College Football Playoff: Miami, Clemson
Clemson’s throttling of Wake Forest kept the ACC on track for multiple College Football Playoff bids. Miami was off and remains a projected playoff team as well.
Gator Bowl vs. SEC: Pittsburgh
Notre Dame would have been a good choice but played here two years ago. Unbeaten Pittsburgh is next on the list of the ACC’s best teams at the moment.
Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Big 12: Notre Dame
The ACC always sends one of its best here. Nobody makes bowl reps happier than Notre Dame.
Holiday Bowl vs Pac-12: SMU
The Mustangs get the last pick among the league’s three biggest bowls. As a bonus, the trip is shorter than it would be for most of the ACC.
Pinstripe Bowl vs. Big Ten: Boston College
I don’t think the Pinstripe Bowl will make Syracuse come back so quickly unless it’s for a really enticing matchup. Following its 42-7 drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin, I’m less optimistic Rutgers becomes bowl eligible and sets up the Battle for Jersey Recruiting. The Eagles take this spot instead.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. SEC: Virginia Tech
The winner of the season-finale between Virginia Tech and Virginia goes to a bowl game that has picked a North Carolina or Virginia team for nine straight seasons. I think the Hokies are better, even if the record doesn’t show it right now.
Sun Bowl vs. Pac-12: Syracuse
Syracuse deserves a bowl game against a Power-Four opponent. This is the last of that tier.
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30 Minutes in Orange Nation 11-14-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Paulie and guest host Mario Sacco start the show off recapping SU – NC State, before listening to some sound from Syracuse head coach Fran Brown’s post game press conference, and finished the show up with a current ACC power ranking.
Mike McAllister "Orange Nation" 10-14-24 (ESPN; radio; Orange Nation)
Mike McAllister joins Paulie & Guest host Mario Sacco to discuss Syracuse’s win over NC State on Saturday. The guys break down both sides of the ball, discuss individual players, coaching, officiating, and more.
Eric Dungey "Gomez and Company" 10-14-24 (ESPN; radio; Gomez and Company)
Former Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey joins Gomez and Company to discuss a huge ACC win in Raleigh, his personal gripe with Oregon and Oregon State, and more.
Syracuse gets closer to Top 25 after win over NC State (orangefizz.net; Burstein)
A few weeks ago, Syracuse beating NC State almost certainly would have placed them in the top 25.
But, a few Wolfpack losses and injuries later, their stock faded. With it, Syracuse beating NC State meant a little bit less to voters.
But it doesn’t mean it didn’t mean anything. The Orange are back to near where they were in the polls before losing to Stanford. Here’s SU’s Week 8 poll outlook:
AP Top 25
After receiving the 36th-most votes last week, SU jumped three spots this week into a tie for 33rd with Arkansas.
The Orange got seven more votes than last week, going from six to thirteen. This was fueled by more voters noticing SU. Two voters ranked the Orange in week seven, compared to six this week (three for #23, one for #24 and two for #25).
Looking at the rest of the rankings, Miami held steady at #6 as the Hurricanes continued to pace the ACC. SU’s next opponent, Pitt, moved into the last spot of the Top 20 with its 6-0 start.
In the received votes section, UNLV, who SU beat two weeks ago, received one vote.
Coaches Poll
The Coaches Poll looked quite similar to the AP Top 25 this week. The Orange also received 13 votes, which ranked as the 31st-most. That’s 12 more votes than SU had a week ago.
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Syracuse football: Game six grades versus NC State (TNIAMA; Chiappone)
Despite some questionable moments and odd shifts in momentum, the Syracuse Orange were able to hold off the NC State Wolfpack to come away with their third win in a row and second straight on the road.
Syracuse’s first half saw points be left off the board throughout, but big plays from the defense and more finished possessions on offense ultimately led to the Orange coming away with a 24-17 win in Raleigh. How does the road victory translate in the grade book?
Spoiler alert: the results are all over the place this week, including a few surprises.
Here are your position grades for the Orange after their win over NC State:
Quarterbacks: A
This felt like a game where Syracuse could’ve and should’ve scored in the mid-30s. Regardless, Kyle McCord certainly deserved no worse than an A this week. The full stats: 31/42 (74%), 346 yards, 8.2 yards per attempts and two touchdowns. Even with some questionable aggressiveness on fourth down, McCord helped to sustain long drives that again chewed up clock and gave NC State as little time as possible to have possession. Equally as important: no turnovers this game was significant in hindsight. Turnovers doomed NC State and they could’ve easily done the same had McCord thrown a pick or two....
Syracuse wins in hostile road environment to improve to 5-1 (247sports.com; Chamberlain)
The Syracuse Orange went on the road and brought home a 24-17 victory after facing the NC State Wolfpack's Saturday Night Blackout in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On the Orange's opening offensive drive, quarterback Kyle McCord drove the team downfield into the red zone. McCord connected early and often with wide receiver Trebor Pena and tight end Oronde Gadsen to convert multiple third downs throughout the drive. Kicker Jayden Oh converted a 32-yard field to give the Orange a 3-0 advantage to open the game.
The Wolfpack saw similar success on their first offensive drive, but it ended in a 41-yard field goal being pushed wide left.
Before the end of the first quarter, McCord had a beautiful connection with Pena where the quarterback rolled out to his right, avoided the pass rush and hit Pena in stride for a 28-yard reception. The drive ended in a turnover on downs as McCord's third and fourth down passes fell incomplete.
Following an NC State punt, the Orange continued to show signs of success on offense with running back LeQuint Allen bursting for a 13-yard carry. Tight end Dan Villari also saw snaps under center, including a "tush push" on third and short to give Syracuse a first down. With the Orange at the 8-yard line, the drive ended with a nightmare as a third-down false start was followed by a 12-yard sack taken by McCord, then Oh's 43-yard field goal attempt was missed.
In response to the Orange's missed opportunity, the Wolfpack's offense showed signs of life and drove down the field before linebacker Derek McDonald stripped the ball free from running back Kendrick Raphael following a 15-yard rush. Defensive back Justin Barron recovered the much-needed fumble.
Syracuse did not waste the Wolfpack miscue as McCord found wide receiver Umari Hatcher in the endzone for a 28-yard touchdown with 2:33 remaining in the second quarter. Hatcher's touchdown gave the Orange a 10-0 lead to complete a 7-play, 83-yard scoring drive.
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Turnovers Prove Too Costly for NC State Football vs Syracuse Orange | NC State Podcast (youtube; podcast; Locked on Wolfpack)
We harp about Turnover Margin in games a lot. Saturday Night is exactly why. In a game where most statistics are marginally different, Turnovers will be the deciding factor. Syracuse - 0 | NC State - 3.
There's your ballgame.
Former Syracuse football DB no longer rostered with N.C. State days after two teams meet (PS; $; Leiker)
A former Syracuse football defensive back has made a midseason departure from the ACC team he transferred to for his third stop in his college career.
Ja’Had Carter is no longer listed on N.C. State’s online roster. His departure was confirmed by a team spokesman to at least one local outlet.
Syracuse beat the Wolfpack 24-17 on Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Carter appeared for two snaps on defense in the game. He started three games for N.C. State this season and appeared in two others, playing a total 194 snaps between defense and special teams, according to Pro Football Focus.
Carter had made 15 tackles and one pass defended for N.C. State.
Last season, Carter appeared minimally at Ohio State, where he’d transferred after a breakout 2022 season with Syracuse.
He was rostered with the Orange for three years, appearing in 31 games and making 138 tackles. Carter also had five interceptions, 12 passes defended, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
This was his fifth season of college football.
Top 10 Syracuse Orange football players of all time (bvmsports.com)
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7. Art Monk, WR (1976-79)
Monk, a stellar wide receiver, actually started as a running back for the Orange. It wasn’t until his junior season that he made the switch to receiver. From 1977-79, Monk led the Orange in receiving yards and still ranks in the top 10 on several school record lists. With 1,644 career receiving yards in 35 games, Monk set a school record with a 47-receiving yards per game average. He also caught 14 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns in a single game, a school record. Monk was drafted in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
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Stunning moment women break into BRAWL at college football game (dailymail.co.uk; video; Nisse)
Two women broke into a shocking brawl during the Syracuse vs. NC State college football game on Saturday.
During the game, which Syracuse won 24-17, a fight was captured on video as one woman dressed in all black had some words for another woman in blue jeans and knocked her hat off her head.
The second woman did not appreciate that gesture and promptly punched the other fan in the face, sending her stumbling back.
The two continued to scuffle for several more seconds, with the woman in all-black grabbing the other by her hair.
There were soon separated by several male fans nearby.
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College Football 25 | #9 Syracuse vs Pitts | Bragging Rights Series Week 9 Matchup (youtube; simulation; Tab1192 Gaming)
realistic results
College Football 25 | #9 Syracuse vs Pitts | Bragging Rights Series Week 9 Matchup
Syracuse 24, NC State 17 REACTION
Mac & KG react to Syracuse improving to 5-1. #cfb #syracuse #syracusefootball #ncstate #ncstatefootball We are presented by: Ingles. Low prices, love the sav...
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Syracuse Football on Instagram: "Syracuse vs NCST: The Extended Cut ‼️"
cusefootball on October 14, 2024: "Syracuse vs NCST: The Extended Cut ‼️".
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Atlantic Coast Conference on Instagram: "Career-high 11 catches and a road dub for @yeaimjack "
2,618 likes, 28 comments - accsports on October 14, 2024: "Career-high 11 catches and a road dub for @yeaimjack ".
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Syracuse Football on Instagram: "deja vu ⏭️☠️ http://yt.be/nflsundayticketstudent"
cusefootball on October 14, 2024: "deja vu ⏭️☠️ http://yt.be/nflsundayticketstudent".
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ACC News
https://collegefootballnews.com/col...tball-predictions-game-record-bowl-teams-2024 (CFN)
So, basically, everyone in this expanded ACC is going bowling except for the school that thinks it's too good for the conference?
Not quite, but Florida State is having itself a season.
NC State would be among the biggest flops in college football if it wasn't for the Noles, and WOW did that all turn fast for North Carolina.
But SMU has been a fantastic surprise, Pitt is still unbeaten, and Miami can't seem to play a boring game lately.
Syracuse, Virginia, Duke, Boston College, Georgia Tech - they've all been terrific stories over the first half of the season, and ...
Okay, it's Clemson and everyone else.
Below are our picks and predictions for every remaining ACC game along with the final call on the conference standings.
ACC Midseason College Football Predictions
ACC Final Conference Predictions
ACC Championship PredictionClemson vs SMU
1. Clemson 11-1 (8-0)
T2. Miami 10-2 (6-2)
T2. SMU 9-3 (6-2)
T2. Louisville 8-4 (6-2)
T5. Georgia Tech 7-5 (5-3)
T5. Pitt 8-4 (5-3)
T7. Syracuse 8-4 (4-4)
T7. Virginia 6-6 (4-4)
T7. Virginia Tech 6-6 (4-4)
T10. Stanford 5-7 (3-5)
T10. Boston College 6-6 (3-5)
T10. Duke 7-5 (3-5)
T10. Cal 7-5 (3-5)
T10. Wake Forest 5-7 (3-5)
T15. Florida State 4-8 (2-6)
T15. NC State 5-7 (2-6)
T15. North Carolina 5-7 (2-6)
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TNIAAM’s ACC Football Power Rankings for October 14th (TNIAAM; Wall)
At the request of Syracuse Orange fans, we’re going to give you our ACC Football Power Rankings. Let’s get to this week’s list...
1) Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0)- Miami had a bye and they head to Louisville next week where the Canes will be on Upset Alert for sure.
2) Clemson Tigers (5-1, 4-0)- The Tigers offense has been humming the last few weeks with 177 points scored in ACC play.
3) Pittsburgh Panthers (6-0, 2-0)-
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4) SMU Mustangs (5-1, 2-0)- winning at Louisville is still worth something and SMU is proving to be a good addition to the ACC so far.
5) Syracuse Orange (5-1, 2-1) - the Orange won on the road in Raleigh against NC State and the ACC refs
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6) Louisville Cardinals (4-2, 2-1)- Louisville’s got a shot at getting back in the ACC race when they host Miami and the ACC Refs in a Triple Threat match.
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ACC Power Rankings: How high does Syracuse football climb after win at N.C. State? (PS; $; Carlson)
The ACC has an interesting situation brewing at the top of the league at the halfway point of the season.
The three teams at the top of this power ranking this week are all unbeaten in conference play. None of them play each other during the regular season.
While it’s unlikely given the amount of football left to be played, all three could finish with perfect league records and one of them could get squeezed out of the ACC title game and the chance for a bid to the College Football Playoff.
The toughest remaining league game left on the schedule for both SMU and Clemson is probably a visit to Pittsburgh. Miami faces both Syracuse and Louisville on the road before the end of the year.
The league’s fourth unbeaten team at this point is Pittsburgh. The Panthers have a difficult road ahead, starting with their next game.
Pittsburgh and Syracuse will play on ESPN in a Thursday night showcase matching two of the ACC’s five best teams.
Here’s how I’d rank the ACC this week.
1. Clemson
Record: 5-1 (4-0 ACC)Last week’s ranking: 2
Last week’s result: Win 49-14 at Wake Forest
This week’s schedule: Saturday vs. Virginia, Noon, ACC Network
Why No. 1? Clemson has rolled everyone since losing to Georgia, winning five games by an average of 29.4 points. Miami could have lost either of its two previous two games without the help of a friendly whistle. I’m making the rare choice to elevate the Tigers over the unbeatens.
2. Miami
Record: 6-0 (2-0)Last week’s ranking: 1
Last week’s result: Off
This week’s schedule: Saturday at Louisville, Noon, ABC
Why No. 2? Miami seems to have gotten a little bored. tTe Hurricanes’ level of play has dipped since their dominant start. Miami needed friendly replay decisions from the ACC command center to win each of their past two games. If they can get back to dominating this week, I’ll move Miami back to the top.
3. Southern Methodist
Record: 5-1 (2-0)Last week’s ranking: 3
Last week’s result: Off
This week’s schedule: Saturday at Stanford, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Why No. 3? Southern Methodist’s only loss came by three points against unbeaten Brigham Young. No defensive end in the ACC has pressured the quarterback more often this season than Elijah Roberts (20), according to Pro Football Focus.
4. Pittsburgh
Record: 6-0 (2-0)Last week’s ranking: 4
Last week’s result: Win 17-15 vs. California
This week’s schedule: Off
Why No. 4? The Panthers are unbeaten but very lucky to be so. Three of those wins have come by four points or less. This week’s required a missed 40-yard field goal with 1:54 remaining.
5. Syracuse
Record: 5-1 (2-1)Last week’s ranking: 6
Last week’s result: Win 24-17 at NC State
This week’s schedule: Off
Why No. 5? You can make the case for Syracuse as high as No. 4. The Orange is in a similar boat as Pittsburgh with four one-possession games. Syracuse is here because it lost one of them, a home loss to Stanford that remains baffling and I won’t overlook.
But if you want to make the case for Syracuse, you could argue that the three wins were more comfortable than the final score shows and the result of correctable special teams issues and bizarre officiating. That hasn’t been the case for Pitt.
Fortunately, Syracuse and Pitt will decide things for us on national television in a Thursday night showcase game.
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ACC Announces Game Times and TV Networks for Week 9 Contests (theacc)
The Atlantic Coast Conference and its television partners announced the following football game times and networks for Week 9, October 24-26.
Thursday, October 24
- Syracuse at Pitt – 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN – previously announced
- Louisville at Boston College – 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 – previously announced
- Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech – Noon ET on ACC Network
- North Carolina at Virginia – Noon ET on The CW
- Wake Forest at Stanford – 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network
- Oregon State at California – 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2
- Florida State at Miami – 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
- SMU at Duke – 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network
Through Week 7 of the 2024 season:
- Week 0 – Florida State versus Georgia Tech saw 5.0 million viewers and was the most-watched Week 0 game on any network since 2019.
- College GameDay from Ireland was the most-watched Week 0 episode ever – 41 percent over the previous most-watched Week 0 show (2022) and averaged 1.6 million viewers, including 2.0 million in the final hour.
- Week 1 – ACC was part of a historical day on Saturday, August 31, as it was ABC’s second-most-watched Kickoff Saturday on record.
- 7.9 million viewers - The Clemson versus Georgia Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta was the most-watched Week 1 Noon Game on record, peaking at 9.5 million viewers.
- 6.6 million viewers - The in-state rivalry contest between Miami and Florida in Gainesville, Florida, was the most-watched Week 1 Late Afternoon Game since 2017.
- Week 5 – ACC matchup with Virginia Tech and Miami on Friday, September 27, was the top college football game of the night across all networks and is ESPN’s second-most watched Friday game since 2018 with 3.3 million viewers and peaking at 4.4 million.
- Week 6 of the 2024 season saw all 17 ACC teams in action, a first in ACC history.
- Two of the 11 remaining undefeated teams in all of FBS hail from the ACC – Miami (6-0) and Pitt (6-0).
- Miami and Pitt are two of just nine teams in all of FBS to be bowl-eligible after seven weeks of the season.
- With two bowl-eligible teams, the ACC is tied for the second-most among all FBS conferences heading into Week 8.
- The ACC is 41-14 overall in non-conference play and has played more non-conference games against P4 opponents, including Notre Dame, than any of the other Power 4 leagues.
- The ACC has eight non-conference wins versus fellow Power 4 foes.
- The ACC had 73 league games decided by eight points or less over the last three years (2021-23).
- This year, 14 of the 25 ACC league games to date have been decided by less than eight points.
- In Week 7, four of the five conference games were decided by one score or less than eight points.
How Deep is Your League? 2024 Oct 14 (RX; HM)
How Deep is Your League? 2024 Oct 14
You'll often hear people talk about conference "depth". "How deep is you league?" "My conference is deeper than yours," etc., etc. How can we know?
Here's a table showing how deep each conference goes in terms of number of teams receiving AP votes...
| Conference Depth | |||||
| SEC | B1G | ACC | XII | G5 | Other |
| Texas | Oregon | Miami | Iowa St | Army | Notre Dame |
| Georgia | Penn St | Clemson | BYU | Boise State | Wash. St |
| Alabama | Ohio St | Pitt | Kansas St | Navy | |
| LSU | Indiana | SMU | Arizona St | Liberty | |
| Tennessee | Illinois | Syracuse | Texas Tech | UNLV | |
| Texas AM | Michigan | Louisville | Utah | ||
| Ole Miss | Nebraska | ||||
| Missouri | Iowa | ||||
| Vanderbilt | USC | ||||
| Oklahoma | |||||
| Arkansas |
Should all those SEC and B1G teams really be getting votes? Are there not some deserving ACC teams (and perhaps others) being overlooked? Probably. I happen to think Cal and VT are very good 3-loss teams, but I realize there's no way the AP is going to vote for them yet.
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PotW 2024 Week 7 (RX; HM)
PotW 2024 Week 7
From the official ACC release of Monday, October 14, 2024
Week 7 Football Players of the Week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference Football Players of the Week have been recognized following their standout performances in Week 7 of the 2024 college football season. The selections are determined by a vote of a select media panel. The following are this week’s honorees:
QUARTERBACK – Cade Klubnik, Clemson, QB, Austin, TX
Klubnik completed 31-of-41 pass attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns as Clemson defeated Wake Forest 49-14 on the road. Klubnik became the first Clemson quarterback to throw multiple touchdown passes in five straight games since Trevor Lawrence in 2020. Accounting for 21 touchdowns already this season, Klubnik posted just the 19th individual season in Clemson history in which a player was responsible for 20 or more touchdowns. After the Tigers punted on their first two drives, Klubnik engineered seven touchdown drives on Clemson’s next nine possessions, including a 30-second scoring drive to close the first half. The Austin, Texas, native added seven rushing attempts for 30 yards.
RUNNING BACK – Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech, RB, Loganville, GA
Haynes rushed for a career-high 170 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 68-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter as Georgia Tech knocked off North Carolina 41-34. Haynes’ 170 rushing yards are the third-most by an ACC player this season and the most in a conference game. Both of his rushing touchdowns came in the fourth quarter on carries of four and 68 yards. The 170 rushing yards shattered his previous career high of 128, which he set in the 2023 Gasparilla Bowl and matched in last week’s win over Duke.
RECEIVER – Jackson Meeks, Syracuse, WR, Phenix City, AL
Meeks recorded a career-high 11 catches, the most by an Orange player since 2022, for 116 yards and a touchdown in a road win over NC State. His touchdown on a fourth-and-goal play in the fourth quarter, ultimately proved to be the deciding score in the Orange’s 24-17 win. It marks the third-straight game with eight-or-more catches for Meeks and fourth-straight game with a receiving score. He ranks second in the ACC in receptions per game at 6.3, trailing only his Syracuse teammate Trebor Pena.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech, RG, Royston, GA
Rutledge headlined a Georgia Tech offensive line that paved the way for the Yellow Jackets to rush for 371 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-34 win at North Carolina. He cleared key holes throughout the day, both on the right side from his guard position and on the left side while acting as a pulling guard. Rutledge delivered a key block on Jamal Haynes’ game-winning 68-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter. According to Pro Football Focus, Rutledge allowed just one quarterback pressure on 24 dropbacks, blocking at a 98-percent efficiency. For the seventh straight game to begin the season, Rutledge did not allow a sack.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN – Jimmy Scott, Pitt, DE, Buffalo, NY
Scott spearheaded a dominant defensive effort for Pitt, collecting six tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss, and three sacks in the Panthers’ 17-15 victory over Cal. Scott has been a crucial piece in Pitt moving to 6-0 for the first time since 1982. Scott’s trio of sacks went for a total loss of 17 yards with two of those sacks coming in a three-play span late in the third quarter. Scott also helped hold the Golden Bears to just 63 yards of rushing on 40 carries, logging a 1.6 yard per carry average.
LINEBACKER – Justin Barron, Syracuse, LB, Rocky Hill, CT
Barron had two takeaways in Syracuse's 24-17 win at NC State. The senior linebacker recovered a fumble and had an interception, which he returned 41 yards, both of which set up touchdowns on the ensuing offensive possession. He added eight tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry to help the Orange to a road victory. Barron’s eight tackles were the most by a Syracuse player in the win.
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The puzzling tale of a Syracuse overtime king who the city couldn’t punish (PS; $; Boyer)
For more than a year, the city paid one of its highest-paid public works employees to not work while investigators probed claims he lied about his hours to boost his overtime pay.
The investigation found unexplained hours after a whistleblower’s complaint showed Kevin Hunter was collecting overtime pay while his city-owned vehicle was parked at his home.
Hunter, the city’s top street repair boss, made nearly $160,000 in his last full year on the job. About half came from overtime.
The city paid Hunter more than $89,000 to stay at home for 14 months while it investigated claims he padded his OT. After the probe was done, the head of human resources recommended Hunter be fired. Instead, Ben Walsh’s administration settled for a two-week suspension.
In the end, Hunter’s union fought even that suspension and won.
The city paid back Hunter for the two-week suspension, plus five days’ worth of vacation time accrued while he was on paid leave. An independent arbitrator decided the city didn’t make a strong enough case against Hunter to warrant a suspension and that the city’s allegations didn’t meet a textbook definition of fraud.
It’s the third time Hunter has faced punishment for bad behavior at work. The city previously tried to discipline him for his role covering for an employee who fired his gun through a snow plow window, and for allegations he was pocketing money by selling the city’s excess asphalt. In each case, management’s discipline has been reduced or dismissed following a grievance from Hunter’s union.
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